“Whether we live or die,

we belong to the Lord”

[Romans 14:8]

Life is a journey; it is not the destination. Our destination is God, the Lord of both the living and the dead. Death is the gateway to eternal life that He has promised for us in heaven. It is a voyage home, to our Father’s home, as the famous English philosopher John Ruskin said. “In the face of death, as the Order of Christian Funerals notes, the Church confidently proclaims that God has created each person for eternal life”. As we celebrate the life of Sr. Mary Catherine, even though she is no more with us, recalling the positive influence she had on our life and that of others, we are all the more convinced that she has gone for her eternal reward. 

Sr. Mary Catherine whose baptismal name was Kochutheresia was born on 07.10.1936 in Irinjalakuda, Kerala. She was the youngest among six children of Mr.V.A.Chakkappan and Mrs. Catherine. When she was barely three months old, her beloved mother passed away; she was taken care of by her eldest sister Annie. She had school-education at the local Little Flower Convent School where from she obtained SSLC. Hearkening to the call of God to follow Him closely and to dedicate her life in the service of His people, she joined thereafter the Franciscan Servants of Mary (FSM) where she pronounced her First Vows on 3^rd May 1962. She made her Perpetual Profession on 29^th December 1967.

Throughout 86 years of her earthly journey, Sr. Catherine, lived her life with great faith in God, conviction and courage. She was, as Fr. Irudhayaraj, who was associated with Sr. Catherine, said during his homily at the funeral Mass, “a friend of the poor, a servant leader, a messenger of mercy and a loyal servant of the Franciscan Servants of Mary”. She was a woman of vision, determination, hard work and dedication. She was convinced quite early on in her religious life that her vocation was to live for others and to give life for others. And that’s what she did during her six decades of consecrated life. She was a ‘smiling angel’ who at the same time did not compromise when something went wrong. She drew strength for this from the Gospel-values and from her own credible life as a consecrated person. She was kind to everyone and welcomed them graciously. She was a blessing to everyone that she interacted with and served. In other words, she was a blessing to the Congregation, to the Church and to the Society. Her pioneering and dedicated works to start a Matriculation School in Salem and Tiruchengode will go down in the history of our Bangalore Province. After nearly sixty years of active service rendered in different places, Sr. Catherine was transferred to Fatima Convent, Mathigiri, for a well-deserved time of rest where she was a lively self, until fifteen days before her sad demise, interacting with everyone and inquiring about the well-being of sisters and others in the community and in the Congregation. Gradually she was growing weak and falling silent. As her health condition began to deteriorate, she was administered the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick by our Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Christopher. Readily accepting the call of God to join Him in heaven for which she prepared herself in silence all those days, she breathed her last on 17^th February at 2.30pm, in the presence of sisters gathered around her.

The Funeral Mass was presided over by Rev. Fr. Arul Raj, the Vicar General of Dharmapuri Diocese. The mortal remains of Sr. Catherine were then carried to Madagondapalli Convent cemetery where she was buried. Sr. Miriam, the Provincial Superior and a large number of Sisters from different communities were present to bid final adieu to Sr. Catherine.

Those of us who have lived with her or have been associated with her for long as members of communities will testify to the fact that Sr. Catherine was a simple and large-hearted person who always thought of others’ welfare more than that of her own. She was a very caring sister and a community- oriented Religious. She was intelligent and she used all her knowledge and goodness in serving the Congregation and the Society. Let us entrust her to our Heavenly Father, asking Him to bless her abundantly for the exemplary and inspiring life she lived and for having been truly a blessing to each of us personally and to those whom she served and cared for all these years.

Lord of life and death, we pray for the repose of the soul of our dear Sr. Catherine. Your breadth gave her life, your continued presence and guidance sustained her life, and your hands firmly hold hers now as she has surrendered her all to you. Thank you Lord for the gift of her- to her beloved family, to Our Congregation, to all of us who knew her and lived with her and to the people and the Church she served. Through her life-witness and love, she brought the good news of Jesus to all she met. As she lies now in your arms, “Eternal rest grant unto her, and let perpetual light shine upon her”.

With Love and affection,

Sr. Elsy and the Sisters,

Fathima Convent,

Mathigiri.